


Overdue

by Headphone_Love



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Awkward Kageyama Tobio, College Student Oikawa, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, Hurt Hinata Shouyou, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Original Character(s), Minor Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi, Misunderstandings, Oblivious Oikawa Tooru, Secret Relationship, Third Year! AU, Worried Hinata Shouyou, kageyama is a good friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-04 13:18:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11556009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Headphone_Love/pseuds/Headphone_Love
Summary: Hinata finds that while he would love to tell the world about him and Oikawa, the setter may not feel the same.And so he keeps it under wraps.----“Oh, is our little Shouyou all grown up?” Tsukishima teased, smirking at the reaction. “Maybe whoever you’re thinking about is trying to avoid discouraging potential suitors.”Hinata flinched at his words.





	1. Come Around

**Author's Note:**

> In honor of a request by @Psyche1489 and for Oikawa's birthday, I present to you part 1 of 2 ^^ 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy! 
> 
> ~HxL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to MooksMookin for Beta-ing this chapter for me ;.;   
> :D 
> 
> ~HxL

Hinata wasn’t a private person in the slightest, but for Oikawa, he worked hard.

The third year student flipped through the textbook quietly, headphones in his ears. How Hinata’s mind had gone from English grammar to his boyfriend of almost a year, he would never really understand. It was like Oikawa had become somewhat of a plague on his mind, for lack of a better term. He was always there: smiling, laughing, gazing, and simply being wonderful.

A goofy smile crossed Hinata’s lips as he pressed a cheek into his palm, letting out a content sigh. He shut his eyes, admiring how lucky he had been to have met someone like Oikawa despite their rough beginnings. Sure, Oikawa had scared the crap out of him when they first met, but the more Hinata learned about him, the more he related. It wasn’t easy trying your hardest only to fail and be looked down upon. It was the most frustrating feeling to work hard only to be called average when compared to those naturally inclined.

“Onii-chan!”

Hinata jumped out of his chair, headphones snapping back against his ear once Natsu let them go. He stared at the middle school student with wide eyes, hand on his chest. She grinned at the expression, crossing her arms and sticking her tongue out.

“Since when have you been into studying? Aren’t you a straight D student?”

Hinata gawked at the insult, standing in front of his sister who was now only slightly shorter than him. He placed a hand on her head and squeezed, her whines muffled by his headphones.

“Can’t a guy try and better himself?”

“Can’t a girl make a joke without her brother grabbing at her head like that?! I swear you are going to make me bald one day!”

Hinata tensed, hands rising to his own head. “Can that happen?!”

Natsu shot him a look of disbelief. “Just get ready for dinner! It should be ready soon,” she reminded, shaking her head and fixing her already messy hair. She was about to leave, only pausing when Hinata looked honestly terrified at the idea of going bald at such a young age. She giggled, standing on her tippy toes and patting him gently on the head.

“You won’t go bald, Onii-chan,” she promised. “We have good genes!”

“What do pants have to do with anything?!”

She faltered, groaning as she left the room, clicking her tongue.

Once she was gone, Hinata relaxed, a small smile on his lips. He would miss playing dumb once he went off the university. His sister had excelled in ways he never could have, and for some reason she took huge pride in being smarter than him. He knew that a lot of people often took offense, but in his case, if that was his sister’s drive he would not be the one to take that away from her. His eyes softened at the memory of how tiny she used to be, so tiny he could lift her up and carry her around.

Hinata slowly sat down, eyeing the textbook as he pulled out the brochure from beneath it. The university’s name was in bright lettering, though the sticky note with Hinata’s study schedule was stuck to the top left corner.

 _~Grand King’s University!~_ it read, beneath it the list of hours he would have to study to improve his grades. He hugged the brochure to his chest and let out a deep breath. His heart thumped against his ribcage, both excitement and anxiety shadowing his mind.

It was a good change, Hinata convinced himself. He would finally get to be with Oikawa without having to hide as they had been. He would get a chance to live around the college sophomore rather than going back and forth on pre-planned weekend visits.

Still, Hinata mused, he would miss his family a lot.

His phone buzzed, rattling on his desk loudly. His attention snapped back to reality eyeing it for a moment as he steadied his thoughts. He picked it up, unlocking it to see a message from the devil himself. A smile crossed his lips instantly.

 

(6:35) Oikawa: Oi, Chibi-chan~

You might be eating or sleeping, but I wanted to let you know I thought about you during practice.

So much that Iwa-chan hit me in the back of the head!ヽ(illﾟдﾟ)ﾉ

But worth it because then I saw little versions of you floating around like in the cartoons.

So cute, but nothing compared to the real thing. ( ˘ ³˘)♥

 

Hinata snorted, wondering why Oikawa was such a dork but began to type back. His grin felt so wide his cheeks ached.

 

(6:40) Hinata: Oikawa-san, remember to put all of your messages in one message!  And I wasn’t sleeping, I was actually studying since practice was canceled for us today. I am about to go eat dinner though, so I will message you later. Don’t over work yourself, drink a lot of water, and make sure you ice your knee!

 

His heart pounded in his chest as he pressed ‘send’, biting his lower lip and placing the phone down. He saved the page in his textbook with his pen, placing it on top of his notebook and pushing the chair in neatly.

Hinata left the room quietly, shutting off the light and thinking about when he could tell the world about how strongly his previous rival made him feel.

* * *

“It isn’t a bad thing, though, Tsukki!”

Hinata tilted his head as he entered the clubroom, looking at the two fellow third years. He bowed his head, saluting them as they nodded in response, though continued their previous conversation. Yamaguchi was the first to face Hinata, Tsukishima pulling his shirt over his head.

“Hey Shou, do you think that people who are in a private relationship are not really in a relationship?” Yamaguchi asked with a tilt of his head.

Hinata tensed, hand hesitating on his locker as he looked over his shoulder. He smiled nervously. “Where did that come from?” he asked with a weak laugh, returning his attention to his locker. His face expression was tense, his hands growing clammy. Putting in the combination for his club room locker had never been so difficult in his life.

“Well, Tsukki and I were talking about it, and I think that it should be kept private…” Yamaguchi explained, pointing a thumb at the blond beside him, “But he says that it should be well known!”

As Hinata listened and finally managed to get his locker open, he turned and looked at the fellow third year in shock. “ _You_ think that relationships should be well known?” he asked in disbelief, a snicker leaving his lips at the very thought. “I always took you as a private person, Kei!”

Tsukishima shrugged, slipping his t-shirt on and closing his locker. He moved to sit on one of the benches, beginning to put on his shoes. “Well, what good is a relationship if one person wants other people to know and the other doesn’t? That in itself is a huge disagreement waiting to happen,” he began as Hinata started to change. The ginger continued to listen attentively, and from the looks of it, so did Yamaguchi.

“It can still work out, though. Isn’t a relationship about compromise?” Hinata insisted, shuffling through his locker.

Tsukishima snorted. “Yes, but if you and another person are dating and a year later you are keeping it a secret, isn’t that more similar to leading someone on?”

Yamaguchi smacked him on the shoulder, swinging a leg over the bench as he faced his best friend. “Not at all. You can go months without doing anything if you really like each other,” he reminded. “And besides, some people are just naturally private.”

“Right!” Hinata piped in, grinning nervously as he changed. “Sometimes it is just a silent agreement!”

Tsukishima raised a brow, tightening his laces as he stood. “So you are telling me if you dated someone and couldn’t tell a soul, you would be fine? I find that hard to believe.”

Yamaguchi’s face blanched, a nervous laugh leaving his lips as he stood as well. Hinata eyed the two, tilting his head as he thought about how to answer. At first, it had been hard to keep his relationship a secret, but the longer he went on, he felt less of an urge to tell people. He was content with knowing that Oikawa cared about him, and so he had never bothered to ask whether it was okay to tell people or not.

“Well…” Hinata started, scratching his cheek, “I think with me it would be hard at first...but if it is what my partner wanted then I would try my best. I wouldn’t want to make them uncomfortable.” He raised his head, gaze landing on his teammates. They were staring at him in silence, Hinata realizing he may have gotten too serious about the passing topic. He raised a hand to rub the back of his head and laughed loudly. “B-but that is of course just what I think I would do! It is totally different when it happens!”

Tsukishima smirked, shaking his head as Yamaguchi snickered at their teammate’s behavior.

“You are so thoughtful about it, Shou. It is kind of endearing,” Yamaguchi complimented. His eyes landed on his best friend, slapping him on the shoulder playfully. “You should learn something about compromise from him!”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, walking towards the door. “All I was trying to say was that I wouldn’t want whoever I was dating to think I was embarrassed by them,” he defended.

Hinata’s eyes flickered towards him in surprise. “Why would they think that?”

Tsukishima turned, his hand touching the door handle as he spoke. “Wouldn’t you think that if you were dating someone and you were the only person tempted to tell someone?”

Hinata swallowed hard, never having even thought about that. Oikawa never _seemed_ embarrassed of him, but what if he was and simply avoided telling him to spare his feelings?

Hinata’s heart dropped, lips pressed into a thin line.

“You okay? You look a little pale...is your stomach hurting?” Yamaguchi asked as he walked over, placing a hand on Hinata’s shoulder. “We can’t have you getting sick before a game, Shou.”

Hinata shook his head vigorously, the lump in his throat preventing any words from escaping his lips. Imagining Oikawa saying he was embarrassed of him stung, a hand raising to his shirt to grip the fabric tightly.

“Oh, is our little Shouyou all grown up?” Tsukishima teased, smirking at the reaction. “Maybe whoever you’re thinking about is trying to avoid discouraging potential suitors.”

Hinata flinched at his words.

“Tsukki!” Yamaguchi started, though the blond waved his hand dismissively.

“I’m only joking around. Of course the shrimp wouldn’t be dating anyone. His head is too full of volleyball just like his majesty,” he pointed out. Yamaguchi frowned, eyes moving from Tsukishima to Hinata several times before the latter let out another laugh. Hinata nodded at his fellow middle blocker.

“Right! Don’t worry about it, Yamaguchi. The words would only mess with me if they were true,” he assured with a nod. “But right now, getting into college and playing volleyball are all I care about.”

Yamaguchi nodded, ruffling his hair as he waved, jogging over to the door. “Don’t be late, we are starting as soon as the first years get here.”

Hinata nodded, waving at the two until they were out of sight, the door closing with a soft click. Once he knew it was safe, the smile fell from his lips, head lowering as he stared at his lap with a solemn expression. When his vision blurred, he knew that he would be late to practice. The tears slipped down his cheeks as he thought about Tsukishima’s words, the droplets tapping against the fabric of his shorts.

_‘Is Oikawa-san embarrassed by me?’_

* * *

 

“Oi, oi, Shou-chan, you aren’t looking too well. You aren’t overworking yourself, are you?”

Hinata offered a small smile, shaking his head at the person on the screen. Quite the contrary, he felt like he wasn’t working hard enough. Practice all week had been brutal ever since his conversation with Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. He had to let Kageyama do most of the ‘captain-ing,’ as the first years called it because his mind was too out of focus. He couldn’t process penalties or exercises, his co-captain having pulled him aside to ask what was going on multiple times. Each time Hinata would get choked up and not have a response.

“I’m not, just a lot going on at the moment,” Hinata assured, cheek pressed against his palm comfortably. “How have you been? You’re looking better than last time.”

Oikawa winked, raising his thumb and pointer finger to his chin. “Don’t I always look good, though?” he teased. Hinata raised a brow but didn’t laugh as usual. Oikawa faltered, pouting and leaning his chin against his palm as he got closer to the webcam on his laptop. “You didn’t even crack a smile. Something is up because I am _hilarious_.”

Hinata always admired how easily Oikawa could read him, though he wasn’t sure if it was because the college student was attentive—a trait that most of the setters he knew had—or if it was because Hinata himself sucked at hiding how he felt. He chalked it up to a combination of both.

“Nothing is up. Like you said, I’m tired,” Hinata said, though Oikawa didn’t look convinced. Still, the setter relaxed, shrugging his shoulders.

“If you say so.”

There was a brief pause, Oikawa smiling as he tilted his head.

“Hey, Shou-chan?”

The ginger hummed, simultaneously looking through his index cards as he talked with his boyfriend. Oikawa chuckled.

“I think you’re simply amazing. I hope you know that.”

The cards slipped from Hinata’s hands, his face going red. “T-That is so cheesy, Oikawa-san!” he groaned with wide eyes.

Oikawa nodded his head in agreement. “It is, but it’s also the truth,” he pointed out with a grin. “So now you tell me what you like about me, hm?”

Hinata blinked, parting his lips and averting his eyes. He thought about it, the list too long to really say aloud. He wondered if he should type it out grocery list style, though knew it would take a lot of time. He heard a throat clear, looking up to see a sulking Oikawa.

“You shouldn’t take that long considering we’ve been dating for a while, Shou-chan!” Oikawa huffed.

Laughter poured from Hinata’s lips at the words, a smile appearing despite his attempts to stifle it. “I-I wasn’t taking long...I was trying to think of what I should start with,” he assured, small giggles leaving his lips as he relaxed. His brown eyes stared into Oikawa’s darker ones through the screen. Hinata was surprised at the tenderness in his boyfriend’s gaze, his own heart going wild.

“There’s my Shouyou,” the other said softly, letting out a deep breath. “You were so quiet and concentrated that I began to wonder where my loud boyfriend had gone.”  

“Oi!”

Oikawa laughed this time, the sound sending shivers through Hinata’s body. The man on the screen had such an effect on him that Hinata found it to be unfair.

“You know I’m only teasing. Besides, I love that you’re so open and expressive. It makes you who you are,” he complimented. “So if you ever having something on that mile-a-minute mind of yours, don’t keep me in the dark, alright?”

Hinata’s eyes softened, head nodding slowly. “Alright,” he agreed, biting his lower lip as the setter returned the head nod.

“Good,” Oikawa spoke softly, a yawn escaping his lips as he sighed. “I should probably get some sleep. You should too,” he insisted, raising a hand as his pointer finger moved around in a circular motion as if trying to hypnotize Hinata into listening.

Snickering at the action, Hinata mirrored the gesture with a shake of his head. “You’re such a dork,” he whispered. Oikawa grinned and shrugged, stretching as his video became slightly pixelated from his movement.

“But I am _your_ dork, so you chose to deal with me,” Oikawa reminded, though the end was cut off by another long yawn.

Hinata waved a hand. “Alright, alright. Go to sleep, my dork. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Oikawa nodded, reaching out a hand. Hinata did the same, and though he couldn’t see the setter’s hand, he knew it was touching his screen. The look in the elder’s eyes was enough to make Hinata feel guilty for doubting him so easily.

“Goodnight, Shouyou.”

“Goodnight, Oikawa-san.”

* * *

Hinata munched on a meat bun, courtesy of one of the first years. It was a thank you, apparently, and Hinata was not one to deny free food.

“You look a lot better today.”

Hinata turned, cheeks puffed out as he gazed at Kageyama. He nodded, chewing and swallowed before speaking.

“I am! Might have just been an off week last week,” he said with a cheesy grin, shrugging his shoulders. “But I am all better now.”

Kageyama nodded, patting him on the back. “Good. I need my co-captain back to full health.”

Hinata took a moment, a sly smile appearing on his lips as he leaned towards Kageyama. “What was that I heard? I recall a certain someone saying that he didn’t _need_ a co-captain when we were chosen,” he teased, the setter shooting him a pointed look.

“Don’t make me take the words back.”

“Oh, but you can’t! They are in the air, ready for my to pull back whenever I need a pick me up,” Hinata explained, winking at the fellow third year. A moment after, his expression grew somewhat serious. It startled Kageyama how quickly Hinata’s moods could change, even after years of knowing him. “But seriously. I am back now. Sorry for the inconvenience,” he stated. His eyes were narrowed in concentration as he eyed Kageyama from the corner of his eyes.

Kageyama straightened. “Right,” he replied, watching as Hinata walked into the gym for their lunch practice. He cleared his throat, wondering what had gotten into his partner.

_‘Such a weird guy.’_

* * *

“Hey, Shou!”

Hinata paused as he exited the clubroom door, locking up for the night. He closed it completely, swinging the key around his finger and saluting the pinch server. “Yo. Is something wrong?”

Yamaguchi shook his head. “Not at all, but I wanted to thank you for the conversation we had last week. You really helped Kei and me out!” he said with a grin, the ginger squinting his eyes.

“Uh… you’re welcome? Though I didn’t really do much!” Hinata said with a shy laugh. “I just gave an honest opinion.”

Yamaguchi nodded, though a small blush appeared on his cheeks. “Yeah, but you helped me get not only your perspective but his too. And so we worked something out,” he explained.

“Worked something out? Did I accidentally give dating advice again?!” Hinata gasped.

Yamaguchi stifled his laughter behind his hand and nodded. “Yeah, but you did well, so it is okay. Besides…”

Hinata tilted his head, watching as Yamaguchi fidgeted in place. The pinch server cleared his throat and let out a deep breath.

“Kei and I are dating.”

The wind blew lightly, ruffling their hair and clothing as Hinata processed the information. “Ha?!”

Yamaguchi laughed at the reaction, looking uncomfortable but amused. He nodded his head, allowing Hinata to take in his words. “We have been dating for about four months now, but I was cautious about letting people know. So after our conversation, Kei and I came to a negotiation. We would let the team know, but anyone outside the team we won’t blatantly tell. If they find out...it is fine,” he explained. Yamaguchi patted the middle blocker on the back, though Hinata’s body was frozen.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi?

Kei and Tadashi?

_What?_

“It might be a bit of a shock, but Kageyama said he kind of assumed we would eventually date. You don’t seem to notice those things as often.”

Hinata nodded his head, not having seen it coming at all. He must truly be awful at noticing the differences in other people. “T-Thanks for telling me, I guess? I mean, it won’t change much so long as you are both happy,” he reassured.

Yamaguchi’s eyes lit up. He wrapped his arms around the shorter male, ruffling his hair affectionately. “I knew you would understand, Shou! You really are a lucky charm!”

Hinata perked, raising a brow. “Lucky charm?” he asked, unable to hide the excitement in his voice at the title.

Yamaguchi pulled away, clearing his throat. He looked nervous, as if he had said something he wasn’t supposed to say. “Ah, nevermind! Just make sure you are ready for our game coming up. We need to be in top shape, alright?”

Hinata pouted, wagging a finger at the pinch server. “I should be telling you that! Now go on home so I can lock up.” He nudged his arm. “And congratulations on your relationship,” he finished sincerely.

Yamaguchi laughed, nodding energetically and waving a hand as he ran down the steps.“Have a good night, Shouyou!”

Hinata waved in return, watching as the fellow third year ran towards Tsukishima across the way. He was shocked as Yamaguchi looped his arm around Tsukishima’s so naturally. He was sure they had done it more times than they could count. Pulling his gaze away, Hinata walked down the steps slowly. He tried to ignore the envy he felt at the scene.

It was how a couple _should_ be, and yet Hinata hadn’t gotten so much as a hug from Oikawa in public.

Hinata walked over to the gym, double checking the doors as he placed the key in his bag for the next day. As he walked home, the need to hug Oikawa overwhelmed him to the point where he dialed the other’s number on a whim. While waiting at the bus stop, he hummed to himself quietly. It rang three times before a sleepy voice spoke on the other line.

“Hm? Is that you, Shou-chan?”

Hinata smiled at the sleepy tone. “Yeah, did I wake you?”

“No, you actually just did me a favor. I was supposed to be studying,” Oikawa said with a hoarse laugh. Even though Hinata knew it was probably a cover up, he sat on the bus bench and pulled his knees to his chest.

“Oikawa-san...do you mind coming to my next volleyball game?” Hinata asked softly, images of Yamaguchi and Tsukishima walking away arm in arm appearing in his mind again. “I think...with you there I won’t feel as nervous in front of my kouhais,” he said, it being half the truth.

There was a pause on the other line. Hinata felt the nervousness bubbling up in his gut. Right as he was about to laugh and say that he was joking, Oikawa responded.

“Alright,” the setter agreed, tone soft and calm.

Hinata chewed on his lip, unsure of what the tone implied.

“I’ll have to wear my awesome disguise, though,” Oikawa offered up, amusement laced in his words.

Hinata chuckled. “Glasses and a coat aren’t a disguise. You actually need those glasses because you keep watching volleyball videos late into the night.”

“Hey, I stopped that!” Oikawa whined, energy returning in an instant. Hinata raised a brow as his bus arrived. He stepped onto it, flashing his card against the sensor as he moved to take a seat.

“Right. I bet that’s what you were doing that made you fall asleep,” he teased. From the way Oikawa grew silent, Hinata wondered if he was actually right. He laughed silently, hand raising to his mouth to hide the blush that formed. It was automatic with Oikawa, anything he did making Hinata’s face flush.

“You on your way home?” Oikawa asked, effectively dodging the accusation. Hinata allowed it to happen, just glad he could hear his voice.

“Yeah, practice ended a bit later than usual and my bike is at the shop. So I am on the bus,” he explained with a small pout. “Natsu accidentally got a flat riding it over the weekend.”

Oikawa chuckled. “Figures. Should I talk to you until you get home, then?”

Hinata rolled his eyes, unable to stop the smile forming again. He leaned against the window, shutting his eyes as he imagined the other sitting across from him rather than being on the phone.

“If you insist.”

* * *

That night, Hinata dreamed of telling everyone about him and Oikawa.

Some of his teammates were shocked while others were confused about how it had even happened. Hinata turned to dream Oikawa to see a frown on his lips, arms crossed.

“Dating? _You_?”

Hinata’s heart dropped. The deep chuckle that left Oikawa was nothing like the one he was accustomed to hearing.

Oikawa leaned forward, eyes cold and amused. “Why would I ever date a shrimp like you?”

Hinata bolted up from beneath his covers. He panted heavily, a thin layer of sweat covering his body. The tears in his eyes threatened to slip down his cheeks, heart aching. It _hurt_ , worse than when he had imagined it in the clubroom. Hearing his boyfriend’s actual voice saying those things…

Hinata grabbed his cell phone, unplugging it from the charger without hesitation. The light blinded him, but through blurry vision, he still sent the sleeping setter a message.

(3:43) Hinata:  I can’t wait to see you at my game.

He lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling, raising a hand to his eyes and trying to calm himself down. It was stupid, for someone his age to have a nightmare so out there, but it still shook him to the core.

His phone vibrated, Hinata’s body tensing. He looked at the message anxiously, a relieved laugh leaving his lips.

(3:44) Oikawa: Usually I would be cranky, but seeing this made me want the day to come sooner~ Go back to sleep, shou-chan. I’ll be cheering so loudly it’ll make you sick. (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ  



	2. And Prove Me Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata isn't doing so good, but everyone only finds out once the game is over.  
> \---
> 
> Hinata had only begun to notice the severity of his sleep deprived state the morning of the game. His hand shook as he poured his cereal, only getting worse when he poured juice into said bowl instead of milk. Natsu had laughed as she munched on her toast from her chair, so Hinata couldn’t be as upset as he probably felt he should be.

(3:24) Oikawa: Either you tell me what is happening or I’ll go over right now, Hinata.

(3:26) Hinata: Nothing is happening. Forget I texted.

 

(3:26) Oikawa: You know I can’t do that. what’s up lately? this is the third time you messaged me so late.

Did something happen?

 

(3:39) Hinata: It was a mistake. I won’t make it again.

...

(3:45) Oikawa: A mistake, huh?

Alright.

* * *

Hinata’s nights were rough the days leading up to the match. With no more Oikawa to rely on, he would stay up for hours on end. Added on to the original nightmare, he was worried he might have hurt boyfriend’s feelings unintentionally. Ever since that day, he hadn’t dared message in case he made things worse.

His awful sleeping habits slowly began to affect his gameplay, leaving him both exhausted and frustrated. He would daze out during practice—a few volleyballs to the face and a screaming Kageyama were the first things he heard when regaining his concentration—his mind wandering to the scenarios that his mind had thought up.

_Your serves are pretty rough, Hinata-senpai! Are you alright?_

Hinata clenched his fists at the memory. He had apologized several times in his head to the underclassmen, but his mood had been so sour that day that he couldn’t say the words aloud.

If Hinata hadn’t walked into Yamaguchi and Tsukishima’s conversation, then he wouldn’t be in this mess. He wouldn’t be having these nightmares of Oikawa behaving harshly toward him and making their relationship out to be a joke. He wouldn’t be getting frequent stomach aches and skipping meals because he couldn’t hold the food down well. He also wouldn’t have snapped at Oikawa through text and pushed him away.

On the flip side, if he hadn’t given his friends his opinion, they may not have gotten together. As much as Hinata hated being a nervous wreck, he had to admit that Yamaguchi and Tsukishima were adorable as a couple—even if Tsukishima was a huge bag of sarcasm and salt.

Hinata wouldn’t want to take back the advice he had given for a selfish reason like his own.

Hinata had only begun to notice the severity of his sleep deprived state the morning of the game. His hand shook as he poured his cereal, only getting worse when he poured juice into said bowl instead of milk. Natsu had laughed as she munched on her toast from her chair, so Hinata couldn’t be as upset as he probably felt he should be.

His morning proceeded to get even more interesting when the ginger nearly fell off his bike on the ride to Karasuno. He had actually fallen off when he swung his leg over to walk it over to the bike rack.

Everything was a mess; _he_ was a mess.

“Are you nervous?”

Hinata jumped, peeking over his shoulder toward Kageyama. His partner’s eyes scanned over him—Hinata swore Kageyama had a weird sense, sometimes—searching for what was off about him.

Hinata smiled weakly. “I’m fine. Just a little tired,” he assured.

“You look a little more than tired,” Kageyama muttered. With narrowed eyes, Kageyama leaned forward. His lips parted, voice soft, not wanting any eavesdroppers. “Does this have to do with something other than volleyball?”

 _‘Yes!_ ’

“No,” Hinata denied, eyes flickering to the bus that pulled up to the school. He couldn’t bother anyone, especially not on a day like this. He had already caused enough of an issue during practices, with his nose bleeds and his crappy receives. He needed to pull himself together and set an example for the first years. If he showed he was off his game, they might be more nervous than they needed. “I am just having an off day. I’ll straighten myself out. Promise.”

Kageyama, looking somewhat hesitant with the words, accepted the answer with a sigh. “I’ll hold you to that. The team needs their battery today. What good is a dead one?”

Hinata was about to argue, but when he noticed the smirk on Kageyama’s lips, he couldn’t help but let out a relieved laugh. “Asshole,” he said quietly, shoving the setter with a hint of a smile.

Kageyama shrugged, placing a hand over the area Hinata had shoved him. “If I have to be an asshole in order to get you to calm the hell down, then sure.”

Hinata puffed his cheeks out, leaning up and squinting his eyes at the setter. “What made you think I was nervous?”

With a huff of indignance, Kageyama looked away. “When you are freaking out about something, you make this expression. It’s easy to notice, but the challenge is finding out what it is you are freaking out about,” he admitted. “You always tell me I have a look on my face for my moods...that is where you are different.”

“I don’t get it,” Hinata said honestly, crossing his arms as Ukai’s voice rang out in the background.

“Let’s just say you are easy and hard to read at the same time. Things aren’t as obvious as they used to be.”

Kageyama moved to load his bag, Hinata following his lead. Chewing on his lower lip, Hinata thought about the words. Deciding not to use too much energy—what little amount he had at the moment—on overthinking, the shorter male grinned wide and wrapped an arm around Kageyama.

“Sorry for being so hard to solve,” Hinata teased. “Also, you stop being nice. It’s creepy.”

Kageyama’s eyes softened as he ruffled his partner’s hair. He moved to get on the bus, Hinata hopping closely behind.

“Fine, that works better for me. I was starting to think I’d get hives comforting you.”

* * *

Arriving at the gymnasium for their first match was enough to wipe Hinata’s mind clean for the time being. All he heard was the cheering of the crowd, both the other team and Karasuno’s own cheering squad. Over the years it had grown in size, rivaling Shiratorizawa’s and Aoba Johsai’s easily. It was incredible, but also a lot more pressure on their shoulders. On top of the exhaustion that Hinata felt originally, the bus ride had threatened to lull him to sleep. He didn’t despite everyone else taking the chance of rest, or rather, he _couldn’t,_ would be more accurate.

Hinata couldn’t help but snap awake on the bus when a certain pair of eyes was all he saw whenever his own closed.

_Dating? You? Why would I ever date a shrimp like you?_

Hinata flinched at the memory, biting his lower lip. He was snapped out of his daze when Ukai called for a huddle.

_‘Right. Concentrate, Shouyou.’_

The coach was relaxed, though his, eyes narrowed as he shifted his gaze from one player to the next. “Alright, we’ve been sharpening our swords at both training camps and during practice. Now is the time to reveal exactly how threatening we can be,” he began, paying more attention to the first years during those words than the rest of the team. They nodded immediately, eyes wide and lips parted. Hinata found it adorable, wondering if he had been as cute when he was a first year.

Probably not, considering he and Kageyama had blown the wig off the dean’s head on the first day.

"The other team is known for dominating first sets to try and break the opposing team’s resolve. Little did they know we are the embodiment of spirit.” Ukai said with a smirk, eyes confident and calm. “Especially you three.”

Hinata perked as he turned to see a first year spiker and the second year libero gazing at him as well, Hinata grinning when he realized that it was true. They were always yelling and screaming during games out of pure habit and adrenaline. After Tanaka and Nishinoya had graduated, Hinata had done his best to provide pep until the players were comfortable enough to do so as well. Now, the wild cards had been chosen and now was the time for them to come out.

The team placed their hands in the center, the nervous energy not going missed by the third years. Hinata’s gaze flickered to his side, Kageyama offering him a small nod. Just as they were about to break, a scream caught their attention.

“YOU ALL BETTER NOT PUT US OLD CROWS TO SHAME!”

Hinata’s head snapped toward the voice, eyes widening when he saw Nishinoya and Tanaka waving wildly. It was hard to miss them, Tsukishima blowing air from his nose.

“You’d think they would have matured a bit since graduating but they are the same as ever.”

The smirk on Tsukishima’s lips was enough to inform Hinata that he was more than glad they had shown up.

Tanaka’s waving was interrupted by Sugawara smacking him on the back of the head. Hinata could see his lips moving, but the words were lost in the cheering of the crowd. Once the setter had tamed Tanaka, Sugawara shot a grin towards the team, winking at the current third years. Asahi offered a small bow of his head in greeting, never one to be loud except on the court. Nishinoya jumped on his back, however, making for quite the scene. Daichi chuckled at the sight of everyone’s expression, nodding toward Ukai who smirked in return.

“I thought you could use a bit of moral support for your first game,” Ukai explained, wrapping an arm around Takeda and pointing at him. “So I got this guy to call them up.”

Takeda smiled with a small tint on his cheeks, nodding his head and waving. “Although I wasn’t sure who would be able to make it...but they all came in the end.”

Hinata vibrated with energy, the team returning their attention to the huddle.

“Karasuno!” they all shouted as they broke off, some moving to the bench while others began to mentally prepare.

Moving away from the crowd, Hinata sat against one of the walls and shut his eyes. His senpais were all here, and if that didn’t motivate the hell of him to give a good impression, then he wasn’t sure what would.

_‘I just need to relax. Whether Oikawa is here even after that message shouldn’t matter. Your team is depending on you. No more face receives, no more failed serves, no more…’_

The feeling of a hand on his head made Hinata look up, Kageyama staring down at him with a neutral expression. Understanding, Hinata nodded once, raising a hand to place it atop Kageyama’s own. It had become a ritual for the duo to do this before games, almost like they were syncing with each other.

“Don’t stress. We got this,” Kageyama assured.

“As if I need you to tell me that,” Hinata joked, eyes darkening. Kageyama raised a brow but removed his hand from his hair, leaving to begin his solo warm ups.

Hinata moved to stand, figuring he should warm up as well. His legs were going to lock up on him if he didn’t.

Just as he was about to start, he felt his phone vibrate in his jacket pocket. Tensing, he sunk his teeth into his lower lip nervously. The energy and the concentration he had built up until that point shattered. With a knotted stomach, he pulled his phone out to check his texts.

Six texts from Oikawa.

With a shaky breath, he opened the first one.

(2:34) Oikawa: Looking mighty fine so far, Chibi-chan! (/^▽^)/

Nice to see Mr. Refreshing and the others here for you.

But tell Tobio-chan to keep his distance.

My eyes can see everything from up here.

Including his sneaky little setter fingers.

Stupid fingers.

 

Hinata pushed air from his nose and raised a hand to his mouth, looking around but seeing nothing except for signs and some painted crowd members. He would have laughed if not for the pure relief he felt.

Oikawa was here.

Oikawa was here for _him_.

Another buzz from his phone made him focus his attention on the screen.

 

(2:39) Oikawa: Don’t look so nervous! I promise I won’t scream.

 Unless you want me to (づ￣ ³￣)づ

 

Hinata smiled, rolling his eyes as he responded before tossing the phone onto his bag and running back to his team.

(2:40) Hinata: I'm just happy you're here. Please wish us luck ♥（ﾉ´∀`）

* * *

The crowd had gone deathly silent, Hinata’s eyes glued to the team on the other side of the net. They looked just as exhausted as Karasuno, maybe even a bit more.

_‘That is what you get for showing off all your tricks in the first set.’_

Hinata sucked in a deep breath, sweat slipping down his face. Just as Ukai had predicted, the opposing team had really tried their hardest to break their resolve in the first set. Even then, Karasuno had taken it 25-23. Despite this achievement, the other team had easily taken the second afterward, forcing Karasuno to go back on the offense.

Hinata wiped some sweat from his brow, catching Tsukishima from the corner of his eye. The blond was gritting his teeth, eyes narrowed in intense concentration. When Tsukishima caught Hinata staring, he didn’t utter a smart comment as usual.

“Watch yourself, shrimp. They seem to be playing a lot dirtier than we thought.”

Confused at the warning, Hinata frowned.

_‘Dirty?’_

The sound of the ball in play made Hinata immediately get in a receiving position, eyes narrowed and never leaving the ball. The next serve went directly to Nishinoya’s successor—the second year clicking his tongue and smirking when the ball safely returned to Kageyama.

Hinata let out a deep breath as he launched himself toward the right side of the net. Once the blockers had jumped, he dipped lower and switched to the left in a burst of air. The other team’s shouts mingled with the crowd and his own team, the ginger jumping into the air and snapping his arm downwards, the sound of the ball crashing down on the other side of the net echoing in his ears.

“Alright!” Hinata shouted, pumping his fist in the air as his team patted him on the back and head. He turned to the crowd with a broad smile, adrenaline pumping. Swearing that someone in the crowd had called him, Hinata turned to face it, eyes looking around. Unable to match the voice to the person in his mind, he smiled wide and waved in the general area. If Oikawa was there, he would definitely know it was for him.

“Get your head back into the game, idiot,” Kageyama muttered coldly, but the creepy smile on his lips was enough to let Hinata know that he was more than impressed with the last spike.

The snapping hit had become their signature along with their quick, the crowd always goes wild when they brought the moves out. Considering it was 1-1 in sets, Hinata figured now was as good a time as ever.

Hinata’s smile fell as he leaned forward and regained concentration, eyes burning into the team across the net. Their aura was less than welcoming, the feeling of eyes on him enough to nearly cause a shudder. Taking a deep breath, Hinata offered them a grin. He'd be prepared for anything they tossed his way.

The next few plays were tame with Yamaguchi gathering a hearty four points in a row with his serve until the other team was able to receive the ball properly. Hinata played decoy and Kageyama kept tossing his scarily accurate sets. When the other team managed to get the ball in the air,  Hinata backed up slightly before running towards the net again, jumping with Tsukishima. It tipped his fingers, the ginger turning to look over his shoulder.

“One touch!”

Hinata made eye contact with Kageyama before jumping diagonally, slamming the ball downwards as his feet returned to the ground. The satisfying slam informed him that they had scored again, another cheer tearing through the crowd.

20-16 for the third set with only five points to go if they played their cards right.

The timeout was not something Karasuno had expected, Ukai cursing from the sidelines as he called his team in. “Smart on their part but sucky on ours. Keep the momentum going.” was all he said, everything delivering a loud “alright!” before moving around, drinking water and wiping their faces. Hinata moved to leave until Ukai stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Keep an eye out. It seems like you have made quite the impression.”

Hinata tensed, looking over to the other team’s huddle to see them staring, pride surging through his being. While he was no longer that clumsy first year that needed acknowledgment, he still enjoyed when he was taken seriously. Especially by a powerhouse school like their opponents.

 _‘I guess we are considered a powerhouse now, though…’_ Hinata mused.

“For the next play, jump with all you’ve got. Those five points are ours,” Kageyama said into his ear, hand pressed against his hair as he held up a finger.

Hinata nodded. “Ours,” he agreed as the sound of the whistle signaled it was time to finish the game. As cocky as it sounded, Hinata was sure they’d win this match, but he couldn’t help the odd fluttering in his chest or the way his head felt oddly light on his shoulders. With both Ukai and Tsukishima’s warning in mind, the game restarted.

The other team seemed different, somehow. Their attacks were rougher, Tsukishima having a harder time blocking. The sound of the ball hitting his fingers whenever he did was so loud Hinata probably would have been terrified if he weren’t used to it. When Hinata noticed another incoming spike, he shook his head and backed up.

_‘Not this time!’_

Side by side with Tsukishima, Hinata jumped with all he had. His eyes widened when Tsukishima’s hand blocked his field of vision by covering his face. The sound of the ball smacking against the hand didn’t process until they were back on the ground with the team cheering in the background. The blond glared at the ginger.

“I thought I told you to be careful.”

“You said they played dirty!”

“Idiot, that is the same thing,” Tsukishima hissed, eyes flickering to the team on the opposite side of the net. “Pay closer attention or they might actually make you warm that bench.”

Hinata shot a dark look to the other side of the team, eye wide and lips parted slightly. He could see one of them shudder, gaze growing more intense. Tsukishima smirked from beside him, Kageyama wondering what had just happened.

“Bench...huh?” Hinata whispered.

* * *

25-19, Karasuno.

The thought of being targeted by the other team had set Hinata off in the best way possible. Something had snapped, a new burst of energy helping him and Hiroki score the remaining points after a bit of back and forth. And thus the first match of the season was theirs, Karasuno taking two out of the three sets.

Shaking the other team’s hands was surprisingly calm despite how upset and angry they all looked. Hinata admired their sportsmanship, smiling at them and even receiving a few in return.

“Hinata-senpai was like zoom! ” one of the first years swooned, eyes shining as he mimicked the third year's signature move. Snickering at the behavior, Hinata ruffled his hair and grinned.

“Nothing is more motivation than having the other team target you,” he said as he smirked, a chill running down Yamaguchi’s spine.

“Lay off the intimidation, Hinata,” the brunet teased, “Next thing you know you’ll be the new Tanaka or something!”

Hinata tilting his head, the oblivious gaze returning. “What do you mean?”

“Ah...nothing. Don’t mind me,” Yamaguchi said with a small laugh, head shaking in disbelief.

Hinata shrugged taking a step toward the bench before a sudden wave of heat came over him. He frowned deeply, raising a hand to his forehead and trying to take a deep breath in.

“Oi, we need to get our stuff back to the buses,” Kageyama reminded, nudging him. Hinata wobbled, the taller male's eyes widening as he dropped the bag and cursed. He reached out to steady Hinata, eyes moving around the gym as he spoke. “Hinata? What’s wrong?”

The lump in his throat felt like it was rising, and so instead of speaking, Hinata leaned against his teammate. The oddball duo crumpled to the floor as Hinata's knees gave out. Kageyama’s voice was calling for Ukai, but what he was saying was too hard to decipher as his nausea intensified.

At one point he was positive Kageyama had picked him up, but after that everything faded out.

* * *

Opening his eyes had been incredibly difficult to do. Once he managed to do so, the intense lighting made him feel like he wanted to go back to sleep immediately.

“Ugh.”

“Serves you right for worrying everyone by passing out like that.”

Hinata tensed at the voice, looking to his side once his vision cleared. With squinted eyes, he smiled slightly. “Iwaizumi-san,” he greeted weakly, surprised at his own voice. He raised a hand to his lips. His voice was a lot more hoarse than he was used to.

Iwaizumi leaned forward, helping Hinata sit up before giving him some water. The younger male took it gratefully, taking small sips to avoid it making a second trip. “Don’t look so relieved just yet. You worried quite a lot of people. I am sure when you get on the bus you'll get an earful.”

"I'll accept my fate," Hinata joked with a chuckle. "Though why aren't you scolding me? It seems like something you would do."

"I feel like you have enough people who are going to do it. If I know a person is taken care of, why bother scolding them? Now with Oikawa on the other hand, he needs to be scolded whenever possible. He isn't too smart about certain things."

A laugh poured from Hinata's lips. He knew that all too well, especially when it came to volleyball. Oikawa would train until he collapsed if left unmonitored. "Where is Oikawa-san, anyway?"

"He left after he almost got into a fight with Kageyama."

Tensing, Hinata leaned forward in shock. Iwaizumi stopped him, forcing him back against the bed. “Don’t worry, they didn’t. They argued, but it wasn’t in front of your team. I made sure of it.”

Hinata relaxed, eyes closing again as he tried to ignore the aching in his head. “Why would he almost fight?” he murmured. “Oikawa isn’t really the type to do that.”

“Oikawa doesn’t use logic half the time. Add the fact he is on edge about you not texting him and any possible logic goes out the window,” Iwaizumi said as he refilled the glass and motioned for Hinata to drink a bit more water. “Plus you know how Oikawa is. He still thinks that Kageyama might have a crush on you and doesn’t like sharing. Hell, I had to convince him to let me stay with you while he went out to buy you food.”

Hinata squinted. “Why did he want to get me something to eat? Isn’t he upset at me?”

Iwaizumi shot him a look. “Because you passed out, idiot. There are only three reasons why that would happen: lack of sleep, lack of food, or heat exhaustion. You just happened to hit the trifecta,” he said with a judging tone. “And upset? If Oikawa running here and making sure you weren’t hurt is him upset at you, how does he treat you on a good day?” he teased with a smirk.

A blush moved into Hinata’s cheeks. “I’m sorry for passing out. I was just having trouble sleeping and I didn’t really think…”

“Yeah, that much is obvious,” Iwaizumi teased, ruffling Hinata’s hair. “Don't worry too much about it now. What is done is done. You need to take care of yourself from here on out. You're a captain, that wasn’t a good example you set for your underclassmen. Be better in the future”

Hinata closed one eye as Iwaizumi ruffled his hair, nodding in agreement. “I will. I just feel like I should apologize again since you had to stop the fight and all.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me. I’m sure Oikawa had some part in whatever made you so freaked out that you made yourself sick. He isn't known as Shittykawa for no reason.”

The sound of the door opening caught their attention, the teens turning. Oikawa entered with a white bag in hand, candy in his mouth. Iwaizumi scrunched his nose at the sight, standing from his seat and placing his hands on his hips. “You said you were going to buy something, not the whole damn store.”

“Well, I wanted to make sure there was something he would eat in case nausea messed with his taste!” Oikawa defended, eyes immediately landing on Hinata. They softened immediately, Hinata feeling his throat go dry. He looked away, grip on the glass tightening.

_‘Don’t ask to talk alone, don’t ask to talk alone, don’t as—’_

“Iwa-chan, can I talk to Hinata alone?”

_‘Damnit.’_

Iwaizumi nodded, leaving the room without much argument. Hinata felt a shudder move through him. If Iwaizumi left without so much as a joke, then Oikawa had to be a lot more upset than Hinata originally thought.

When the door closed behind the spiker, Oikawa offered Hinata a large smile and held up the bag. “You should eat something! Here, pick what you want,” he said as he moved toward his boyfriend, sitting in the chair at his bedside. He began to pull things out, Hinata feeling uneasy.

“These apples are pretty good. I bought them as a gift and I can even cut them up for you if you want~”

“Oikawa-san…”

This wasn’t right, acting like nothing happened.

“Or maybe something more on the sour side can help? There are lemons in here too, the lady even tossed in some limes!”

“I'm sorry,” Hinata blurted, not able to deal with the fake enthusiasm his boyfriend was feeding him. In the nurse’s office or not, Hinata hated seeing Oikawa trying so hard because of him. He hated that he had forced Oikawa into a corner.

Oikawa watched him for a moment. He dropped the fruit in his hand back into the bag. “Why sorry?”

“For everything,” Hinata mumbled, fingers tapping against the cup in his hands. “For the text messages, for passing out, for worrying you….I’m sorry.”

Hinata kept his gaze on his cup. It was easier than staring at Oikawa. He could practically feel the elder’s digging into him. After a few minutes, Oikawa dropped the bag onto the floor and nodded his head. “Alright,” he agreed. “Though rather than apologizing...would you tell me the reason why you did those things? They aren’t like you at all.”

Hinata felt his heart clench at the words, hands tightly gripping the blanket. “I feel like the reasons are too stupid to say out loud.”

Oikawa grabbed an apple, holding it out to Hinata. Hinata tilted his head as Oikawa chuckled. “If you aren’t going to talk, you should at least eat.”

Agreeing, Hinata began to quietly eat, relaxing against the bed. Oikawa smiled and leaned his elbow against the bed. His cheek rested in his palm. “I talked with Tobio-chan,” he began.

Hinata paused, chewing slowly. He should have known that even if he didn’t want to talk that Oikawa wouldn’t give up that easily.

“He said you have been acting weird for a few weeks...overly upset and distracted?”

Swallowing, Hinata lowered the apple from his lips. “Did he tell you that or did you force that out of him?”

“Changing the subject won’t work here.”

“I’ll answer the question,” Hinata promised. “I just don’t understand why you argued with him over me.”

Realization crossed the elder’s features as he let out a small breath. “Iwa-chan told you about that, huh,” he muttered.

“Kageyama was only making sure I was alright. He feels protective because we are partners,” Hinata insisted, wanting Oikawa to feel more at ease. He and Kageyama would never happen, at least not in this lifetime.

Oikawa let out a deep breath, expression darkening. “He wouldn’t let me carry you until Iwaizumi convinced him to let me. When you collapsed I nearly jumped over the railing but he already had you, so I ran to the exit to meet him on his way to the nurse. I thought that because I hadn’t texted you that it may have been my fault. I thought I added stress to you before a big game, and so I felt like I needed to take care of you. I already told you, Tobio needs to keep his distance.”

Hinata turned his gaze to the window, cheeks warming at the confession. “Sorry...I hadn’t meant to worry you. I just had a lot on my mind and I wasn’t really thinking.”

Oikawa leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “You keep saying that but you haven't told me what exactly was so scary that it made you lose sleep and work yourself like that.”

“How are you so sure something made me do it?”

Oikawa scoffed. “Don’t underestimate me, Chibi-chan. You are looking a the king of accidents here,” he said, motioning to himself. “If a person overworked and hasn’t slept, I would be the first to notice. Now, what made you scared?”

“Nothing,” Hinata insisted, frowning deeply as he squeezed his eyes shut.

_‘I’m scared.’_

“Hinata…”

“Nothing happened, honest.”

_‘I’m scared you won’t want me anymore.’_

“Since when have you started lying to me? Was it really something that I did?”

“Please drop it. I’m fine now, I just hadn’t been sleeping well because I was nervous about the first game. You know how I am!” Hinata said in an attempt to lighten the mood. Oikawa didn’t look away, however, clicking his tongue.

“I do know how you are. No matter how nervous, you’d never be this stupid. You usually sleep like a rock. You eat like a starved person even if you had a meal before hand. You also aren’t the type to lie to me and yet you’ve done it several times.” Hinata swallowed hard as Oikawa reached out to grab his hand, tilting his head. “When you said it was a mistake...did you mean dating me?”

“No!”

“Then what is it?” Oikawa demanded as Hinata pulled his hand away and curled into himself.

“I’m scared you’ll tell me you are embarrassed by me.”

“What?”

Hinata sucked in a breath. Had he said that out loud? Had he told Oikawa the actual truth? He looked at the elder horrified, Oikawa’s eyes as large as his own.

The sound of chatting people in the hall filled the room, though in an instant it was also silenced.

“Why would you be concerned about that?” Oikawa asked once he regained his composure. Hinata felt the fear grow at the lack of denial. He hadn’t confirmed he was embarrassed, but he hadn’t said it wasn’t the truth either. “Hinata,” The tone he used was enough to send a shiver down Hinata’s spine. “Why would you think I would be embarrassed by you? Did someone tell you something?”

Hinata tightened his grip on his knees. “People who date don’t have to keep it secret,” he replied instantly, eyes watering at the statement. “That...that isn’t really dating. It’s more like leading someone on.”

Hinata’s tears hit the blanket that covered his knees, his shoulders shaking. He felt pathetic for getting so worked up over this entire situation. He could have just gone to Oikawa when this all started, but he hadn’t wanted to ask for more when Oikawa had already given him so much. He was perfect, and yet Hinata felt like he himself was far from that.

He wouldn’t blame Oikawa if he broke up with him at this instant.

Deciding on a course of action, Oikawa hummed light heartedly. “You're right, Chibi-chan.”

Hinata winced, tears pouring over easily. He sniffed, nails digging into his legs.

Standing, Oikawa pushed the chair back and sighed. A moment later, Hinata was in Oikawa’s arms, being carried out of the room bridal style. The blanket hung off of his thin frame, the fruits forgotten in the nurse's office. The empty glass of water had nearly rolled off the bed as Hinata was carried away, though that was the least of his concern.

“Oi...Oikawa-san, what are you doing? Where are we going? Oikawa?!”

The setter didn’t respond, keeping his eyes forward and tightening his grip on Hinata

* * *

"Oikawa-san, put me down!” Hinata rasped desperately, though the ginger froze when Oikawa carried him outside. The huge bus with students in front of it made Hinata feel sick, palms smacking against Oikawa’s chest in panic. That was his _team_. They’d find out and then Oikawa would….

“Why did you bring me out here? Oikawa-san please answer me!”

Stopping right in front of Hinata’s teammates—both old and new—Oikawa took a moment to stare at them all.

Iwaizumi kicked off the bus, raising a brow. “Shittykawa, Hinata should be resting, not being stressed out by your dumb ide—”

Iwaizumi stopped when Oikawa leaned down, lifting the ginger in his arms to press a kiss to his lips. Hinata’s eyes went wide, some gasps being heard from the onlookers. The old third years were speechless minus Sugawara who had found the time to take out his phone to take pictures.

Oikawa pulled away with a small ‘pop’, licking his lips and glaring daggers into the team. His smile was creepy, sending fear into the new player’s hearts. “Hinata here is my boyfriend,” he began, making sure Hinata wasn’t falling from his grasp. “I've been dating him for a good amount of time, and if anyone decides to be less than supportive or worse, too touchy-feely, Iwa-chan and I will gladly have a _friendly_ discussion with you about it.”

Iwaizumi shrugged, crossing his arms and shooting the first years a glare. “What he said, I guess.”

It was completely silent until the sound of a snort caught everyone’s attention.

Tsukishima placed a hand on his hip. “About time. I was wondering when you guys would come out about it,” he said as Yamaguchi grinned, practically vibrating at the news.

Yamaguchi jumped forward, grabbing Hinata’s limp hand and shaking it. “Congratulations, Shou!”

Unable to process the unbelievable scene before him, Hinata’s breathing grew uneven. It wasn’t the fact that Oikawa had outed them both that made him feel nervous, it was the fact that he had told all of them at once and _kissed_ him. It wasn't his first kiss considering how long they had been dating, but it was the first that Oikawa had ever done in public.

Hinata’s gaze landed on Kageyama whose expression hadn’t changed.

With a shrug, Kageyama smirked. “There is a thing called breathing, you dumbass. You should do that before you pass out again,” he said. Not knowing what else to do, Hinata nodded and took in a deep breath.

He returned his attention to Oikawa, ignoring the whispers the broke out among both his old and new teammates. “You...aren’t breaking up with me?” Hinata murmured quietly, Oikawa scrunching his nose.

“Why the hell would I do that? I just said I loved you, didn’t I? For someone with good game sense, you're pretty damn dense, Chibi-chan! Do I need to go confess to the other team too? Would that be proof enough?” Oikawa asked, turning and beginning to walk back toward the gymnasium.

“No! No, that is fine! I love you too, I love you too!”

One team had been more than enough.

The sound of his team laughing in the background made him shove his face into Oikawa’s neck, though a smile formed on his lips despite his embarrassment. Relief moved through his body, though his heart still raced in his chest.

“Who would have thought the shrimp would be so shy?”

“Tsukki…”

Rolling his eyes, Tsukishima wrapped an arm around Yamaguchi. “Sorry, Yamaguchi. It was too easy.”

The sound of a throat clearing caught everyone’s attention, Ukai standing on the stairs of the bus.

“As, ahem, lovely as that confession was. We all need to head back before we lose the sun. Our driver here gets nervous driving at night.”

“Home!” the first years cheered, moving on from the confession in record time. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were the first two on the bus, but not before Tsukishima made another joke about the newly out couple.

The third years, once over their initial shock, walked up to the couple.

“This is where we take our leave,” Sugawara said as he waved to Hinata. His gaze landed on Oikawa, eyes narrowing. “You better not hurt or force him into anything, or Daichi and I will have a friendly discussion with _you_.”

“Suga…” Daichi said with a chuckle, though he didn’t refute the claim. Hinata watched as the former captain pair pulled Asahi away, the male looking utterly lost.

“When did he...and Hinata...but Oikawa was…and Tsukishima _apologized_ and...dating...”

“There, there, Asahi. One thought at a time, there we go…”

When Hinata noticed that Tanaka and Nishinoya hadn’t followed the old third years, he braced himself.

Tanaka stood with his ‘intimidating’ expression, raising his face so his chin jutted out. “You heard them. Crows flock together and we’ll take down anyone that hurts our own.”

Oikawa raised a brow, shooting a look to Iwaizumi who seemed amused with the overall situation. Hinata smiled and shut his eyes, still feeling exhausted. The breeze helped and the water had seemed to have done its job.

Nishinoya snickered, walking over and ruffling Hinata’s hair. This prompted the ginger to reopen his eyes for just a second to stare at his former upperclassman. “Good game today, Shouyou. For the next one, don’t pass out though. I don’t think Ryuu here can take that.”

Tanaka’s face changed instantly, red covering his cheeks. “Oi! I was fine!”

“Yeah, as fine as one could be when panicking ‘What happened to Hinata?! Is he okay?! He isn’t dead right?!’” Nishinoya mimicked before running off towards the same direction Sugawara and the other’s had gone. Tanaka’s voice faded once they were far enough away, Oikawa feeling exhausted just watching the exchange.

“Now that everyone is gone again,” Oikawa said, placing Hinata down slowly. “Can you manage to get home or would you want me to meet you at Karasuno?”

Hinata looked up at him, cheeks darker than his hair. “My legs are kind of…” he admitted, Oikawa nodding immediately.

“I’ll meet you there, then. We can get something in that stomach of yours other than half an apple.”

Hinata nodded, lips parting. “You...you confessed in front of all of them…” he said in disbelief. Oikawa stuck out his tongue as his hand rubbed the back of his head.

“I did. It seems way overdue because of how _someone_ never mentioned that they wanted to go public,” Oikawa teased with a shake of his head. “Why didn’t you just tell me? This entire time I thought you were the one that wanted to keep this a secret...”

Hinata’s eyes went wide. “Why would I want to?!” he shouted, voice breaking. Oikawa raised his hands to calm him, but Hinata continued. “You are amazing, why wouldn’t I want people to know you were mine?”

Iwaizumi whistled from the side of the bus, smirking. “Jeez Oikawa. He has it bad for you. And here you thought you were pushing him away.”

“Shush, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa hissed with a small tint on his cheeks. He returned his attention to the glaring Hinata, chuckling softly. “Alright, alright. Point taken,” he assured. “I see you are slightly back to normal, complimenting people out of nowhere like that.”

Hinata looked down at his sneakers, shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t...like it when you aren’t confident. It’s unlike you.”

Oikawa raised a brow. “Then let’s make a deal. You stop thinking of me as this higher figure and _maybe_ I’ll stop thinking of you as one as well,” he joked, Hinata letting out a breathless laugh. His expression grew serious as he stepped forward, shutting his eyes as he pressed his forehead against Oikawa’s chest.

“Hm? Chibi-chan, are you feeling sick again? Do you need wate—?”

“I...had a nightmare where you told me you would never date a shrimp like me in front of everyone. I was terrified. I honestly had no idea why someone like you would date me. I was content with just accepting it up until a few weeks ago, but the more I thought about it...”

Relief.

“Pfft. And you thought that any of that would be true?”

Embarrassment.

The hand on Hinata’s head startled him, forcing him to look up while Oikawa leaned down.“ Listen here, Chibi-chan. Out of all the people I’ve dated, and trust me the number is smaller than you’d think, you’re the one who I wanted to make sure felt the most comfortable. That’s why I never pushed you into the whole public thing,” Oikawa explained, sighing deeply. “I guess it kind of backfired though, huh?”

Hinata shifted from one foot to the other. “So if I had just asked you if we could tell people…”

“I would have been ecstatic!” Oikawa said honestly, his blush returning “You are like a lucky charm. I’d have you with me at all times if I could to show off and brighten my day.”

Hinata tensed, squinting his eyes. “Lucky charm?”

The sound of the bus horn beeping made Hinata jump and forget the rest of what he wanted to say. Ukai was sticking his head out from the bus doors, glaring at Oikawa. “You’ll see each other at Karasuno, damnit. Let’s go, Hinata!”

“One second, please?” Hinata asked, holding up a finger. With a deep sigh, Ukai retreated back into the bus and took a seat. Returning his attention back to Oikawa, Hinata bowed his head. “I should have just come to you. I am sorry about all of this.”

“Yeah…” Oikawa agreed, but when Iwaizumi smacked him on the arm, he cleared his throat. “But at least you know now. So no more worrying about things behind my back. Let’s tell each other when something is wrong before it gets too big. Deal?” he asked, holding out a hand.

Hinata eyed Iwaizumi for a moment, the spiker waving a hand and turning away knowingly.

“Chibi-chan?”

Hinata didn’t answer, settling for grabbing the front of Oikawa’s shirt. He pulled Oikawa down, lips pressing against his own gently. While only a simple kiss, Oikawa looked blown away when Hinata backed away.

“Deal, Oikawa-san,” Hinata breathed, smiling brightly.

“Why...why are you crying?!”

Hinata laughed as he brushed the tears away with the back of his hand, unsure of why himself. “I’m happy.”

Oikawa blinked as his panic melted, eyes softening as he sighed. He raised his hands to cradle Hinata’s face, thumbs brushing against his cheeks as he kissed him on the forehead gently.

“I’ll do my best to keep it that way from now on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM. 
> 
> Now all that remains is the epilogue :D  
> Thanks for sticking with me despite my super late update of this chapter. I do feel this version is better than the previous, though. 
> 
> ~HxL


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